¶ The Description.
THe antient writers haue been very briefe in the historie of Anacardium: the Grecians haue tou∣ched it by the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, taking the name from the likenesse it hath of an heart both in shape and colour, called of the Portugals that inhabit the East Indies, Faua de Malaqua, the bean of Malaca; for being greene, and as it hangeth on the tree, it resembleth a Beane, sauing that it is much bigger: but when they be dry they are of a shining blackish colour, containing between the outward rinde and the kernell (which is like an Almond) a certaine oile of a sharpe causticke or burning qualitie, called Mel Acardinum, although the kernell is vsed in meates and sauces, as we do Oliues and such like, to procure appetite.
The other fruit groweth vpon a tree of the bignesse of a Peare tree: the leaues are much like to those of the Oliue tree, but thicker and fatter, of a feint greene colour: the floures are white, consi∣sting of many small leaues much like the floures of the Cherry tree, but much doubled, without smell: after commeth the fruit (according to Clusius, of the forme and magnitude of a goose egge, full of iuice; in the end whereof is a nut) in shape like an Hares kidney, hauing two rindes, be∣tween which is contained a most hot and sharp oile like that of Anacardium, whereof it is a kind.
The Beane or kernell it selfe is no lesse pleasant and wholsome in eating, than the Pistacia, or Fi∣sticke nut, whereof the Indians do eate with great delight, affirming that it prouoketh Venerie, wherein is their chiefest felicitie. The fruit is contained in long cods like those of Beans, but grea∣ter: neere vnto which cods commeth forth an excrescence like vnto an apple, very yellow, of a good smell, spongious within, and full of iuice, without any seeds, stones, or graines at all, somewhat sweet in taste, at the one end narrower than the other, Peare fashion, or like a little bottle, which hath bin reputed of some for the fruit, but not rightly; for it is rather an excrescence, as is the oke Apple.